Life belt



March 12, 1929. J. F. KENNEDY LIFE BELT Filed June 28. 1928 unnumnl:

aru ula Patented Mar. 12, 1929.

UNITED sr 'rss PATENT OFFICE.-

JOHN ERANG IS KENNEDY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

v LIFE .IBELT.

Application filed June 28,

The present invention relates to life belts and is particularly directed to a life belt of special construction and features adapting it 7' scription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof, and in which: v a

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of life belt embodying the present invention;

. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view in side elevation, partly broken away, showing one form of the'connecting portion joining the front and rear inflatable parts of the belt; Fig. 3 is a similar View ofa modified form of connecting portion; and I Fig. l is a central transverse sectional view taken on the line 4 -4 of Fig. 2.

Reterring in detail to the drawings, the lite belt here shown is preferably originally made substantially in the form of a tore and resembles in structure the inner tube of an automobile tire and is provided with an inflating valve 11. Approximately one quarter of the way around the circumference in each direction from the valve 11 the walls of the tube are brought together,in which position they are cemented or preferably vulcanized, as indicated at '12 in Fig.*1.

Above and below the cemented or vulcanized portion the walls are allowed to remain separate so that air forced into the front inflatable portion 13 will pass through channels 16 and 17 into the rear inflatable portion 19.

In order to still further increase the comfort of the wearer of the belt, the portions 1928. Serial No. 288,953.

22, at opposite sides of the tube, may be cut.

in toward the center. of the tube, as shownv in F1g. 3, this being the portion that fits below the arms of the wearer.

To increase the flexibility of the belt,-the

cemented or vulcanized connecting portions 12 may be slotted as indicated at 2'1, asin Figs. 1 and2, thereby making the belt more readily adaptable to the sizeol the wearer.

Various changes may be made in the structure as above disclosed without departing from theinvention, as defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A life belt comprising a substantially tore-shaped inflatable member provided with a valve, the sides of said member, at oppo-g site points, being brought together, forming non-inflatable flexible portions leaving air passages therearound, each of said non-inthrough. V a

2. A life belt comprising a substantially tore-shaped inflatable member provided with a valve, the sides of said member, at opposite points, being brought together, forming non-inflatable flexible portions leaving air passages therearound, each 01', said non-inflatable portions having a series of parallel elongated slots therethrough.

flatable portions having openings there- '3. A life-belt comprisinga substantially tore-shaped inflatable member opposite points, being brought together, forming non-inflatable flexible portions leav- 1ng airpassages therearound, each of said portions bemg cut m at opposite sides.

4:. A'li'le belt comprising a substantially tore-shaped rubber tube, the inner sides of said tube, at two opposlte po1nts,be1ng vul- V canized together and being substantially flat,

and having openings therethrough increasing their fleX1b1l1ty.

provided with a valve, the sides of said member, at

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOHN FRANCIS KENNEDY. 

